Say My Name
by pupeez4eva
Summary: Sometimes, saying Dick's name in public can be extremely awkward.


Sometimes saying Dick's name in public can be extremely awkward.

It helps that they are Waynes, and all fairly well known. For the most part, people in Gotham seem to know who Dick Grayson is, and accept him as the billionaire's kid with the extremely unfortunate name.

However, there are the people who just don't know who he is. And that's when things get weird. Because when you have a nickname like 'Dick', in a world where people typically do not choose the nickname Dick, things can get awkward. Situations can get misinterpreted. And cheerful Dick Grayson really doesn't care; no, it's everyone around him who suffer instead.

...

Bruce has experienced this on a number of occasions. When he met Dick, well, he had other things to worry about than extremely unfortunate nicknames. The kid was distraught over losing his parents, Bruce was silently panicking over becoming a foster dad — he did briefly think, _"wow, this kid has it bad, doesn't he?"_ — but it didn't really process until he was talking to a sea of reporters, playing dutiful guardian and telling them how much he loved Dick.

"Mr. Wayne. What do you think of Richard?"

"Oh he's a great kid."

"Yes? I have to say, it was a surprise for all of us when you took in a ward. Bruce Wayne becoming a dad never crossed our minds."

"Oh, well I love Dick. He's a great kid, and I'm just glad I was able to give him a home…"

Apparently they zoned out after the first few words, or something like that; Bruce isn't sure of exactly what happened, but when he wakes up the next day, there are magazines emblazoned with the words, _"GOTHAM'S BILLIONAIRE PLAYBOY, GAY?"_ and _"BRUCE WAYNE COMES OUT DURING INTERVIEW ABOUT FOSTER SON!"_

...

And oh, that's not the end of it. He supposes he doesn't blame them — if he was an onlooker who had no idea what was going on, he'd be disapproving too. But that doesn't mean he doesn't mean he doesn't struggle to hold back a wince, when a woman storms up to him in the supermarket, and cries, _"how DARE you talk to a child that way!"_

It takes him a moment to realise what happen. He glances at Dick, and realises what the surrounding shoppers must have thought when he'd called out to his 11-year old ward ("Dick! Come over here!"), and through gritted teeth explains that Dick is the boys _name,_ no, he is _not_ verbally abusing his kid.

The woman walks away, after apologising profusely.

Dick blinks in confusion.

...

Jason takes advantage of this when he first arrives. Dick's a bit of an arse, and Jason gets that he's upset about his mantle being taken over, but still. He might understand but that doesn't mean he has to be nice about it.

So yeah, Dick sucks, but as much Jason just wants to yell at Dick, and call him a bunch of words you'd get slapped for using outside of Crime Alley…that would _not_ go over well with Bruce.

The great thing though? Dick's name is Dick. Jason has no idea who came up with that great idea — did his parent's just hate him, or was he always this dense? — but it means he can cheerfully insult Dick without him even realising it.

Seriously — it was great. _"Hey Dick, get over here. Hey Dick, can you turn the tv on? Hey Dick, shut up."_

Dick, Bruce, Alfie, they all think Jason is being polite, and courteous, and everything Bruce probably wants in a kid (well except for that last one, but they can't be too picky. Jason was a street kid, for Christ's sake).

In reality he means, _'you are a dick in the worst sense, and you're annoying, so take THAT!'_

So yeah — sucks to be Dick, and sucks to be whoever thought that'd be a good idea (because clearly they have issues). But hey, he's not complaining.

...

When Dick starts working at the Bludhaven station, the he naturally befriends everyone there. Except for the people he arrests, obviously, because he's great at his job, and while that's great for the Bludhaven Police Department, it's terrible for the people he's arresting.

It starts when one of them hears an officer clap Dick on the back (he's a rookie at this point), and cheerfully exclaim, "good job, Dick!"

The guy thinks, _'oh, well this guy must be a real dick.'_

Word spreads.

Prisoners, bad guys briefly passing through, anyone to spend some time in the jail cells really, start to call him 'Officer Dick.' They off course mean, _'guy's a fucking arse, why's he so good at his job, what a major dickhead.'_

Dick thinks it's an affectionate nickname. No one has the heart to tell him otherwise.

...

Shortly after a Tim is adopted by Bruce, they hold a press conference to introduce him as Timothy Drake-Wayne.

When asked what he thinks of his new family, Tim puts on his biggest press-worthy smile, and replies, "I like Bruce, and I like Dick. They're great."

At this point, pretty much everyone knows who Dick Grayson is, and considering the fact that they're all there to write an article on the Waynes…well, it should have been fine. But one novice, clueless reporter, trying to score her first big gig, finds herself in the crowd and immediately thinks, _"Timothy likes Bruce Wayne and dick…Timothy Drake-Wayne is in a relationship with his adoptive father?! Oh I am SO getting a Pulitzer for this!"_

The story never happens, thankfully; her editor takes on look at it, and slams his head on the table.

...

Damian never really has a problem with this.

He calls everyone by their last name, and thankfully 'Grayson' isn't anything awkward or strange. He _does_ find an article, dated years back, declaring that his father is gay. When Damian confronts his father, Dick bursts into laughter, while Bruce pinches his nose and explains the situation.

Damian decides that people are just strange. He's sticking to Grayson though, just to be on the safe-side.

...

Dick notices the giggles he sometimes gets when he introduces himself, or the occasional odd look. He can't really bring himself to care. After all, this is the name his parents gave him; he is Dick Grayson, son of John and Mary Grayson. Dick Grayson, son of Bruce Wayne, brother of Jason, Tim and Damian.

Of course there was that awkward moment when he'd told his friends his secret identity for the first times (oh the Titans, you just gotta love them), and was rewarded with Roy's "uh, wait, _what_ did you say?" and Wally's, "uh, you…know what you just said, right…?"

But, well…could be a lot worse, he supposes.


End file.
